What programming Language To Use??

Your ONE programmer knows C.

If this ONE programmer is the only ONE who will program this year, then C++ is the way to go.

If you are planning on having more programmers, especially those who haven't programmed much before, then LABView is an easy language to learn, so I hear.

OR, if your current ONE programmer is capable and willing, they could teach others how to program C++, however it is tough to find a good teacher in most students when it comes to programming C++.

Notice the ONE word I put in all caps? My little bit of advice to you: If you can, have more than ONE programmer. It's an important job that requires lots of work and skill, and for some strange reason robots won't run without it.

[13or13]

Originally Posted by SuperNerd256

Your ONE programmer knows C.

If this ONE programmer is the only ONE who will program this year, then C++ is the way to go.

If you are planning on having more programmers, especially those who haven't programmed much before, then LABView is an easy language to learn, so I hear.

OR, if your current ONE programmer is capable and willing, they could teach others how to program C++, however it is tough to find a good teacher in most students when it comes to programming C++.

Notice the ONE word I put in all caps? My little bit of advice to you: If you can, have more than ONE programmer. It's an important job that requires lots of work and skill, and for some strange reason robots won't run without it.

we know we need more than one programmer we have one and more three that need to learn we wanted to know what program is easier to learn

[Jon236]

With the templates provided, you will find that you can program a robot easily in any of the 3 languages supported. I have found that debugging is easier in Labview. You should also look to the teams nearby. It is important for FRC teams to help each other, so ask!

[13or13]

ok thank you

[ahollenbach]

Because the language you choose is [usually] the first language your programmers will learn in, I would recommend against LabView, but if you can't get a mentor or student who knows a different language, then LV is the way to go until you train students in a different language.

[Ether]

Originally Posted by ahollenbach

Because the language you choose is [usually] the first language your programmers will learn in, I would recommend against LabView

Why? The conclusion doesn't follow logically from the premise. It seems you've left a step or two out of your argument.

[Chris27]

Originally Posted by Ether

Why? The conclusion doesn't follow logically from the premise. It seems you've left a step or two out of your argument.

The programming paradigms imposed by the first language a programmer learns solidifies a certain mindset in how that programmer approaches programming problems. Speaking as a computer scientist, I found learning a functional programming language (SML) a completely bizarre experience (pretty much all values, data structures are immutable, there is no iteration, all functions and data structures are recursively defined, functions are 1st class values and then you have continuations, currying, closures, lazy evaluation etc). Basically, SML turned my view of programming upside down and I had to unlearn a lot of the different strategies and concepts I had picked up using C, C++, and Java to effectively use this new tool. I would say the difference between Labview (data flow programming) the C (procedural), or Java C++ (Object oriented programming) or SML, LISP (functional) is quite a bit greater then the differences then these languages have between themselves (especially concerning C like languages). OOP languages are used much more often in both academic and industry environments then Labview. The opinion I hold now as a software engineer is that it would have been a mistake if I had started my venture into the programming world with Labview.

To address the original poster, I vote for Scala .

[Ether]

Originally Posted by Chris27

I found learning a functional programming language (SML) a completely bizarre experience ... I had to unlearn a lot of the different strategies and concepts I had picked up using C, C++, and Java to effectively use this new tool.

Isn't the converse also true ? Had you learned SML first, you would have had the same issue when learning C, C++, Java ? So if you're going to have to learn both, does the order matter ?

[Chris27]

Originally Posted by Ether

Isn't the converse also true ? Had you learned SML first, you would have had the same issue when learning C, C++, Java ? So if you're going to have to learn both, does the order matter ?

I'm still much more comfortable with Java (OOP) so I would say yes it does matter. Also, being skilled in using Java holds a lot more weight then an obscure language such as SML. Not being comfortable with C, C++, or Java will make scoring an internship at a software company much harder. In the current job climate, graduating from a CS or Software Engineering program without any industry experience is not going to make finding a job easy. As an interviewer, a candidate without any industry experience would make me uneasy. I'd say that being comfortable with an OOP language is much more of a necessity then a functional language although learning a functional language does help expand on a lot of CS concepts.

[Jon236]

Folks,

Bear in mind here that the object of FIRST is not to produce software engineers; it is to inspire kids to get interested in STEM careers. If we can get them hooked with Labview or Java, that's all to the good. I think the key here is not to let the kids founder. The team needs to pick a programming tool that is well supported and that a mentor can help them with. FIRST does a great job producing tools in all 3 supported languages. Every team should have a mentor (either close or on-line) that can help them succeed.

[Chris27]

Originally Posted by Jon236

Folks,

Bear in mind here that the object of FIRST is not to produce software engineers; it is to inspire kids to get interested in STEM careers. If we can get them hooked with Labview or Java, that's all to the good. I think the key here is not to let the kids founder. The team needs to pick a programming tool that is well supported and that a mentor can help them with. FIRST does a great job producing tools in all 3 supported languages. Every team should have a mentor (either close or on-line) that can help them succeed.

FIRST is also an excellent opportunity to give high school students a head start in the stem fields. If a student is thinking about doing programming for a living and going into a CS or similar program when he/she graduates, then giving them an opportunity to start learning a standard programming language such as C++ or Java will enable them to hit the ground running when college comes around much more so then having them learn Labview.

[Ether]

Originally Posted by Chris27

If a student is thinking about doing programming for a living and going into a CS or similar program when he/she graduates, then giving them an opportunity to start learning a standard programming language such as C++ or Java will enable them to hit the ground running when college comes around much more so then having them learn Labview.

If that had been stipulated at the outset the dialog would have been a bit different I think.

[Ether]

Originally Posted by Ether

Isn't the converse also true ? Had you learned SML first, you would have had the same issue when learning C, C++, Java ? So if you're going to have to learn both, does the order matter ?

And you've spend the same amount of time learning/using SML as you did Java?

[Chris27]

Originally Posted by Ether

And you've spend the same amount of time learning/using SML as you did Java?

No. But If I had spent my early years at college working with SML over a language such as Java, it would have made getting an internship really hard.

[Ether]

Originally Posted by Chris27

No.

I think that, rather than the order in which the languages were studied, would explain why you are still much more comfortable with Java (OOP).

Originally Posted by Chris27

But If I had spent my early years at college working with SML over a language such as Java, it would have made getting an internship really hard.

Likely true, but not germane to the "order" question.